


shuffle

by lucitae



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Canon verse, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-29
Updated: 2013-08-29
Packaged: 2017-12-25 01:22:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/946950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucitae/pseuds/lucitae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>this is a story about individuals not versed in dance but manage to find their own, after hours, in the company of each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	shuffle

**Author's Note:**

> for round 23 of [exopromptmeme](http://exopromptmeme.livejournal.com/6785.html?thread=2563713#t2563713), prompt: a story of two dancers, and the mirror at the practice room. about the subtlety of every move and what it’s like to dance, with and for, the other.
> 
> reference for the [history](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axbVU1gzVQE) choreography starts at around 1:35.

a sigh slips through kyungsoo’s teeth accompanied by a visible drop of his shoulders. he planned on singing today, locking himself up in the recording room until manager hyung hunts him down and demands to know if kyungsoo wishes to lose his voice. it has been taken over by baekhyun and jongdae _again_. practicing the high notes that kyungsoo doesn’t even bother to try to reach. he has other options. return to his room and seek the help of luhan where they can compare notes, improve upon his chinese, and perfect each other. or he could take a trip to chanyeol’s room and opt for an evening of recreational singing.

his feet shuffle through the halls until he sees a room with lights still lit. it is their practice room. probably f(x) or his members practicing. most likely to yixing and jongin. he approaches, about to tell the two to have some dinner before resuming when he reaches the door and finds that there is only one person inside. it is neither jongin nor yixing judging from the individual's height.

curiosity spurs kyungsoo to enter the room. he sees concentration woven into eyebrows and beads of sweat decorating his forehead. the lights transform his bleached hair into gold, accentuating the caramel eyes that stare at his own reflection. it is rare that this man would be practicing so late. 

it doesn’t take long before yifan catches the sight of kyungsoo in the mirror and pauses, taking out his earphones.

"care to join me?" yifan offers. kyungsoo glances down at his attire. jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt, not quite the outfit for dancing but he takes a few steps towards the elder as a reply.

"are you unsatisfied with being the main vocalist that you have to become the main dancer as well?" kyungsoo questions with a poker face (chanyeol has mentioned multiple times that his poker face threatening). he receives a laugh for an answer.

kyungsoo knows the reason though. he’s the same in a way. dancing doesn’t come to him as easily as it does to jongin. it is the same for yifan as well. practice makes perfect and that’s why their choreographer drills the moves into their bodies. but when it comes to freestyle, kyungsoo finds himself embarrassed and even more so when watching the broadcast. he thinks yifan is the same. preparing a dance to perform only to have it made fun of by the MC. kris brushes it off easily with laughter and joking tones, but kyungsoo wonders if yifan can do the same.

"still resenting me?" tone light and playful.

“ _i_ ,” kyungsoo emphasizes with a growl, “am exo’s main vocalist.” he glares pointedly at the other only to receive a grin and a pat on the shoulder.

yifan stretches, white t-shirt riding up to reveal the band where his shorts begin, then cranks the volume of his ipod up to encompass kyungsoo into his dancing plans tonight. tao’s ‘hey’ is heard through the speakers as the rhythm for growl begins. yifan’s raises one of his eyebrows and stares at kyungsoo, “is this alright?” he nods and gets into position.

kai’s part starts up and despite the choreography during live performances, both of them start to dance like they did for the music videos. their backs are turned against the mirrors as if they were facing the first group,  both hands a few centimeters away from his chest as he jerks his head left and right, legs crossed. he falls into the easy rhythm of the song, mouthing the words to help him remember the moves. he knows it isn't beautiful. not like the way the dancers are as if they were praying to invisible gods, selling their souls to reach perfection, and drowning in the bliss of elegant gestures that accompany each heart beat. kyungsoo moves in a methodological matter, where talent doesn't count because his body remembers everything after hours of engraving each step into it like fire branded onto skin. the first group has interesting moves as he mimics baekhyun, fingers in faux snapping position, slight twists of shoulders, slight turn so that they are facing the mirrors rather than the fake sky. chen's part starts and kyungsoo thinks to himself: horse squat and pounding fists. yifan jumps out from behind kyungsoo during kai’s part and kyungsoo nearly laughs. he picks up the cue as yifan turns towards him. he misses a beat though, resulting in yifan’s long fingers to brush against his palm. he has to bite down on his lower lip to prevent bursting into laughter because how can jongin and baekhyun maintain the ‘only one’ move, even if it is just fanservice? he notices that yifan is doing just the same.

the song draws closer to the first chorus and kyungsoo panics a little because he doesn’t have his cap for the next part. but as he dips down during baekhyun’s and xiumin’s hat trick, he feels something plopped onto his head. it isn’t a cap but a homburg. the tan one that yifan had worn to sukira and park so hyun's love game, which kyungsoo had somehow missed seeing it in a corner. he reverts his attention back to the song, sweeping his feet, millimeters from brushing the floor, as he switches to the other one. he rises and the rest fall into bodily memory. the guerilla move starts and kyungsoo prepares for his part.

he sings out loud like he would on stage. partially because he wants to practice and partially because he wants to startle yifan, though he can’t tell if it works because yifan is situated behind him in this dance. he feels a yank as his head is freed from the accessory, seemingly gentler than normal, and continues singing as he leans away to reveal the man behind him. from the corner of his eye he can see yifan toss the homburg into the corner because there is no suho to pass it to. they hop on one foot and switch to the next until they are in front of the mirror. it feels weird that there aren’t four other members staring back at him but kyungsoo decides to put his effort into his hips to keep his pace. it is sloppy but he isn't alone.

he reaches the part where he sings after luhan and hits the ‘woah’ part. his voice cracks. he hears a low chuckle from behind him and he scowls, unable to prevent the pink that is reaching the tips of his ears.

_e. x. o._

he slips into routine, where his body moves for him rather than the mind. in which the beats and the rhythm guide his senses. one knee sinks to the ground as he bounces to the sound of chanyeol’s raps. he almost messes up because there aren't ten more figures to guide him and kris is no longer his anchor in this part. he spins on his side, sinks down, and rises up with ease but not with grace that jongin or yixing possess.

this time, he’s behind yifan and watches as the other raps, narrowly avoiding ramming himself into the mirror. he has to suppress a laugh as kris approaches the curtains, winking at if as if there was a camera there. kyungsoo just watches until he has to turn his back and wait until the slow part is over. the final part sets in and he completes it with ease. chorus already carved into his mind due to the hours they spent going over the choreography again and again.

the circle is ridiculous with just the two of them but they dance anyways. the song ends and they turn around with knees bent and one touching the ground, fingers splayed against the wood floor. he turns to look at yifan and finds that the other’s eyes are glancing at him as well. the corners of his lips raise and he sees that mirrored on the other’s face.

the track closes and another song begins. kyungsoo bursts into laughter because “the cupid shuffle, really?” it may be the lighting but he swears that yifan’s cheeks are dusted pink.

"it is a easy song to dance to!" the other protests.

"because the lyrics practically direct you!"

"like you can follow." kyungsoo scowls despite seeing that mischievous expression. just because he’s not fluent doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand.

he rises to his feet and starts to side step, eyes trained on the other as if challenging him to do the same. his ears focus on the music but he has forgotten that the directing lyrics don’t start until a bit later. he can see yifan stifle a smile when they get to ‘to the right, to the right’ when kyungsoo realizes he has missed a beat and hurriedly corrects his step. yifan, on the other hand, steps with ease. then again he seems to have a knack at nailing (more or less) popular western moves. by the time the song ends, after countless turns and ‘walk it by yourself’s, in which he suffers by witnessing kris’s apparent swag, kyungsoo’s breaths are accelerated by exhaustion.

"don’t tell me you are twerking for the next program," he manages to throw at the older male who has an arm on his waist to support himself. the other winks. "who says i’m not?"

kyungsoo is about to retort when yifan’s ipod blares a melody that he picks up to change. the younger remembers that the song was something about cash and pockets but it gets switched to another familiar beat of progressive thuds. he catches the glance that yifan gives him. _ready for another round?_ his head dips in reply as he drops to the floor, leaning against the cool surface of the mirror.

_listen, 感覺了沒有？_

kyungsoo watches yifan dance.  he understands why this track was chosen for today’s run through. even though mama was the song they promoted and wolf was the second one, history always appears when they were promoting in china. he almost laughs because kris is in his _element_. the blue sky and the white clouds are basically his attributes, lean figure contrasted against the backdrop. but when his eyes meet the other’s he decides to just watch. his eyes analyze the way the other moves. he isn’t as fluid as jongin nor are the moves as sharp as yixing. he’s sloppy compared to other members but at least not lethargic like kyungsoo is. but there something about the way that yifan moves that makes him seem beautiful. not in the way luhan is with his seemingly feminine charm. but the motions that follow one after another, the slight jumps and switch in positions… kyungsoo can sort of understand why fangirls scream when kris raps. he’s so _confident_. his eyes are somewhere between dauntless and uncaring. the position of his body so casual that it gives off a sense of effortless handsomeness. another sigh slips through his lips. kyungsoo has always felt so average compared to his members, in terms of looks, he wonders if he appears to be even more plain when dancing beside yifan in growl performances.

he misses his cue as yifan walks towards him, signaling the beginning of k’s part. (suho’s voice already singing through the speakers). he quickly rises and leaps into the moves. it is easy in a room not cramped. much harder when they have limited space on stage, though he’s not quite sure where to stand without the other five.

his eyes remain on yifan though. watching how intently the other looks at him, as if jotting down notes in his head to tell kyungsoo where to improve on later. he sees his image in the mirror in front of him, dancing to the tune. it’s weird though. weird how there aren’t ten more individuals within this room. weird how there’s no crowd in front of him, screaming their names. for a moment he doesn’t know why he’s dancing or who he’s dancing for. his eyes drift away from his reflection and to the man watching him. this is probably the first time he is dancing for himself

and yifan.

m joins k but all he can see are two individuals with way too much space in between from what the mirror portrays. his right hand goes out in front, left hand follows, turns the both like a flower as he continues the erratic jerks that make up the dance.

multiple times the groups cross to get to their place. it is only expected that twelve would be more complicated than six (then again, he has forgotten what it was like to just be six). the twelve line up and he’s in front of yifan. firm hands grip his shoulders, pulling him back towards the other. he can see the slight widening of his eyes in the mirror and feel the other pressed against his back. yifan’s shoulders aren’t broad but they are wider than kyungsoo’s. he’s not short and yet without insoles and his hair to boost his height, the top of his head barely grazes yifan’s lips.

"chinese stages are short," he hears and nearly shivers because yifan’s breath is hot on his ears. he remembers an incident once during history line up where he was slightly off and the other guided him into place through a gentle touch on his elbow.

yifan moves away and kyungsoo skips ahead like he would at a normal concert and sings like he would before both of the slips back into the original choreography. the incident from moments ago forgotten in the back of their mind, fingers thumping against his jeans, as he does the signature pocket move.

the song finally ends and they sink to the floor. yifan is sprawled, long limbs stretched out as his arms support him from behind. at least he’s not like chanyeol that collapses to the ground, limbs getting in everyone’s way and feet nudging kyungsoo to annoy him like usual. kyungsoo sits with his legs crossed like a four, back straight, and arms relaxed.

"pass me the water, please," since kyungsoo is closer to the bottle. he passes it to the other, taking the grin as a token of thanks as the elder starts to drink. he watches the adam’s apple bob as h2o is consumed. his own mouth starts to feel parched.

it seems as if nothing escapes yifan when he presses the water bottle against kyungsoo’s forehead, inviting him to drink as well. “thank you, hyung,” he nods respectfully as he takes the bottle from the other. the way the other’s lips curl into a smile from hearing the honorifics he’s sometimes forgotten to add seems like a reward enough. kyungsoo tips his head back and allows the water to pour into his mouth with an one inch elevation.

silence falls between them like a comfortable blanket spare for the tunes drifting out of yifan’s ipod and their unevened breathing. he doesn’t ask about why yifan is practicing alone because he already knows the answer. he wonders why yifan invited him to join, but he has an inkling about that. his own reasons stem further than curiosity. neither was it to lend help to the older male. kyungsoo isn’t that kind. it was just that both of them weren’t that talented or good… one of the reasons why he always seems to be placed in the back during dances. seeing yifan try to improve himself motivated kyungsoo as well. he always cared more about singing to begin with and mostly focused on improving that aspect as long as he didn’t drag down the crew with his dance. but it isn’t enough to become the best on part you cared for. it is much better when you try your hardest.

the song comes to a close and my lady starts to play. kyungsoo’s lips part and the lyrics flow freely into the air. yifan turns down the volume on his ipod and kyungsoo hears his voice reverberate throughout the practice room. the other rises to his feet and starts to improvise. the sounds of his middle finger passing by his thumb, louder than the snaps heard in the song. the movements are random, nothing like the teaser. but yifan has morphed into kris, confidence radiating as he moves according to the melody. he closes the distance between the two, beckoning kyungsoo to join with his index finger. kyungsoo pushes himself off the floor.

_친구가 아냐_

he's not sure what he looks like, although convinced it probably looks awful. but this time, he doesn't seem to care as the melody guides him, the rhythm telling him how to bend, where to extend his arm or place his feet. kyungsoo's eyes never leave the elder, watching him move. they probably look ridiculous. but he is facing towards the sky, so he can't be sure. his shoulder dips and he steps to the side, one step closer to yifan. the way they dance isn't anything like jongin and yixing where they build upon each other and tear themselves apart, until the atmosphere is charged with tension and the audience's breath stolen by the beauty of the individuals. 

yifan acts like his anchor. kyungsoo is afraid to take his eyes off the other because he would fall back into cramming moves into his head and counting the beats rather than feeling the music with his body.  his hips don't sink low enough like xiumin's nor with enough power to differentiate one move from the next. his is languid in which one moves falls to another. he learns not to care. he learns to enjoy. and he realizes it isn't just in this song that yifan is his guide, history and growl has proved that wrong. he relies upon the other to guide him into formation so he doesn't mess the others up, to step away so that he knows it is time for the change of formation, and to take off his cap so that he knows to lean to the side and introduce kris to the world. 

people talk of dancing in terms of gravitational pull, of comets bent on the path of collision. but in truth it is about planets in orbit, about synchronized heartbeats, about doing your part and trusting the other to fill in the rest. he dances in harmony as yifan interprets the melody.

if this isn't the way to dance, he wouldn't want it any other way. 

the last note leaves his lips as he steals a glance at the taller male beside him, eyes closed as his chest rises up and down, strands of hair seemingly caressing the other's face. there is a hint of a smile, the tale-tell signs of contentment laced throughout his body. kyungsoo feels the lethargy seep into his bones as his shoulders droop- no, he's wrong. it is satisfaction of giving his all and the resulting fatigue as his reward.

another song sets in and kyungsoo grins because it is one of his favorite: nothing on you. he starts singing, ignoring how breathy he sounds by focusing on pronunciation and hitting the notes. yifan is smiling and then he launches into the rap as soon as the chorus ends. kyungsoo listens. he’s always been fascinated. he’s tried rapping two moons before but it was slightly too fast for him. the other is _chinese_ , to say the least, and yet he can rap in korean. well, currently in english.

the chorus swings around again when kyungsoo begins and-

"it is ‘wasted’ not ‘way’," yifan mildly corrects. kyungsoo repeats and tries to correct the way he sings. yifan also corrects his pronunciation of world and they ("thuh not duh"). he’s glad though, rather than offended. yifan knows kyungsoo. knows that he would rather be corrected than continue to pronounce it wrong. same with chinese as well.

and so the exchange of melodies and pronunciations continue until amber finds the two of them huddled over yifan's ipod, fingers lingering over the pause button. kyungsoo takes this opportunity to excuse himself as the both of them start to speak in english, his broken one isn’t good enough to follow at such a rapid pace.

he’s about to head out when he hears a “next time?” kyungsoo thinks of sloppy movements and parodies, of brushing fingers and height differences, of gaps and silent conversations. his fingers rest against the plastic white handle before turning around and curls his lips in a way that says " _maybe_ ".

**Author's Note:**

> anyone in the right mind would write about kaixing for this prompt but no, not me. it should be about jongin and yixing, about how they build upon each other then tear each other apart until they are a panting mess on the floor of the practice room. maybe someday after my growl mv feels are sedated.
> 
> testing out the lower case structure to see if things flow more, sorry if any clawed their eyes out in the attempt to read this.
> 
> the usage of names allow a differentiation between the real person and the idol identity.
> 
> as always, comments and kudos much appreciated!


End file.
